Meningococcus and medical finals

摘要

I never thought I was going to die-despite coughing up blood so much I couldn't keep my oxygen supply on. Despite the answer when I asked why my feet looked bruised ("You're peripherally shut down"). Despite seeing a consultant rolling up the bag to squeeze fluids into me. Despite being rushed through the corridors to the intensive treatment unit.Less than two weeks before my final exams I was admitted to hospital with a temperature of 39.7~OC. I was developing menin-gococcal pneumonia and septicaemia, and within a few hours I had haemoptysis and was hypoxic and hypotensive. In intensive treatment I received non-invasive ventilation and intravenous antibiotics.